Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. Recognized early, the chances of a cure are good. Every man should heed the following important rule.
- Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men.
- Symptoms often appear very late, which is why regular screening tests can save lives.
- The chances of recovery are very good - if the cancer is recognized early.
Every year, doctors in Germany diagnose around 60,000 new prostate cancers, as prostate cancer is also known by doctors. This makes this cancer by far the most common among men . The risk of developing an illness increases with age: at the time of diagnosis, those affected were on average 72 years old in 2016. However, younger men under the age of 40 can also fall ill. Symptoms only become apparent to those affected late - however, the treatment options are now very mature.
Symptoms of prostate cancer: They often appear late
Prostate cancer is tricky in that it causes no discomfort for a long time . Prostate tumors * remain unnoticed for a long time. According to the German Cancer Society, symptoms usually only appear when the tumor has grown so large that it spills over to the urethra or daughter tumors (metastases) form outside the prostate.
The following symptoms can then appear :
- increased urge to urinate
- Difficulty starting urinating
- Inability to urinate
- weak or interrupted urine flow
- Painful, decreased ejaculation, less severe erection or impotence
- Blood in the urine or in the semen
- Pain in the prostate or lower back
- unclear weight loss
- Drop in performance
- fatigue
- Anemia
A malignant tumor does not always have to cause these symptoms. A benign and harmless prostate enlargement can also be the reason. Only a doctor can make the correct diagnosis.
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Survey on the subject
The earlier prostate cancer is detected, the better the chances of recovery
Thanks to new therapies * and improved early detection examinations, patients have a good chance of survival. But the rule is: the earlier the cancer is recognized, the better . Therefore, men aged 45 and over should see a urologist once a year. An annual genital examination immensely reduces the risk of prostate cancer spreading unnoticed in the body.
Depending on the stage at which prostate cancer is diagnosed, the treating oncologist decides which measures are most promising. Treatment options include surgical removal of the tumor, anti-hormone or chemotherapy .
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Advantages and disadvantages of the PSA test
"With early detection, prostate cancer can be cured by treatment in more than 70% of all cases. (...) That is why the German Society for Urology and the professional association of German urologists recommend an early diagnosis for prostate cancer by tactile examination and determination of the PSA value in men the 45th year of life, "recommends the German Society for Urology. PSA stands for "prostate-specific antigen", a protein that forms the prostate glands and that is detectable in prostate cancer in moderate to high concentrations in the blood .
The PSA test, which health insurance companies only pay for existing complaints, is controversial. Above all because of the fact that the early detection examination also detects harmless prostate tumors that basically do not require therapy in the form of surgery or radiation - but are nevertheless treated in some cases. The "Interdisciplinary guideline of quality S3 for early detection, diagnosis and therapy of the various stages of prostate cancer", which was developed by the German Society for Urology and the German Cancer Society, therefore recommends that if prostate cancer is diagnosed, non-treatment is also a sensible alternative consists. This is possible if the prostate cancer does not pose a risk to the lives of those affected .
A PSA test is currently recommended for men who have a further life expectancy of at least 10 years and who are at least 45 years old . Men whose fathers or brothers have prostate cancer should have early screening examinations. "The decisive factor is always the personal situation of the individual man, his age, his state of health, the expected further life expectancy and his attitude to the life risks of health and illness", says the patient information for the PSA test.
Source : www.krebsinformationdienst.de ; www.krebsgesellschaft.de ; www.tk.de ; www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de
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